Soviet Union: Eye Opener

It began as a "casual balloon" launched by American physicians during a
meeting with Anatoly Dobrynin, the Soviet Ambassador to the U.S. Asked
the Americans: Why not have doctors from the two superpowers discuss on
Soviet television the medical consequences of nuclear war? "Why not?"
Dobrynin responded. The result, an unprecedented hourlong program
watched by an estimated 50 million people, attracted so much interest
that Soviet authorities rebroadcast it last week.

In keeping with an agreement reached before the broadcast, the panel
avoided prickly questions of national policy. The American
participantsHarvard University Cardiologists Bernard Lown...